32 replies to this topic

[GIMojo]

No, I'm not Vietnamese.  My parents did humanitarian work in Vietnam though, so I lived there for many years when I was younger:) 

Do you have a history of depression that you think Accutane will make worse?  Otherwise, I don't think it's a massive concern because you are monitored so closely by your prescribing MD.  The most serious side effects are also somewhat prevented by monthly blood tests.  I don't know, I realize it's a serious drug, but I feel like I'm in good hands. 

Thanks for stopping by my journal:)

i play it safe and stay away from tane. take a look at my gallery and you can see why i needed such a drug so badly. I got like 4 packs of tane i havnt touched and dont plan to.

[Hanoian]

Day 12

Wow, I can't believe it's been nearly 2 weeks since I started Accutane. Things are fine so far. My lips are very "irritated" rather than dry. They are swollen and tight but not dry and flakey like I expected them to be, but maybe that's to come.

My face is doing better but I do have a couple of new spots on my chin, near my mouth, and near my temple. They're annoying but I'm just happy they're not cysts. I am sure they'll be gone in a couple of days.

Every pore on and around my nose seems to have been invaded by a blackhead; strange since I don't usually get that many. They're nearly invisible unless I stare at them up close, so no problem. I guess it's all the gunk coming out, or at least that's what I'd like to believe.

My cold is still going strong...not fun in the middle of exams:( Oh well, the information sheet that I got from my derm says that even common colds take longer to heal on Accutane.

[Hanoian]

2 Weeks Down!

Well, I've completed 10% of my 20-week journey!

I won't reiterate what I've been saying for the past few days about side effects, etc.

I do have one new "bump" on my forehead but it is pretty small and I think it'll be gone within a day or two. I have 6 active pimples on my face right now and NO cysts (except for the remnants of dead/dying ones). What a change from having a face full of bumps not too long ago. I still have millions of red marks everywhere though, so my skin still looks a mess. But with makeup on I actually look "presentable," which is a far cry from how I looked before I started the Accutane/Amoxicillin. I remember looking at myself in the mirror at school (with makeup on) and thinking that I couldn't bear to walk around looking so "deformed" but today I looked in the same mirror and felt absolutely fine about the way I looked. This has been a huge weight off my shoulders. Oh, part of this, I just realized today (duh!), is due to a decrease in oil production, so my makeup isn’t shiny and it doesn’t melt off my face within two hours…the spots and marks stay covered.

I am just so happy that I can walk around without feeling monstrous. I actually felt pretty again today walking around campus, when only 2 weeks ago I was hiding my face and wishing I could disappear. I've also been so much less preoccupied with how I look, which is a sure sign that things are improving. All my free time isn't spent feeling desperate about my skin; I am doing the things I like to do again and I find my thoughts wandering about other things, things that have nothing to do with acne. Who knows if things will keep getting better from here or if the worst is yet to come. I just know that I am going to keep being hopeful about it and enjoy the improvement! I realize that I have a long road ahead of me and that the side effects (and even acne) could get much worse...but of course I just pray that I (and everyone else on Accutane) will have a safe trip!

I thought about posting pictures, but they wouldn't be much different from the previous ones, only "flatter." I think I will post at the 4 week mark or whenever I see any significant change that will show up in the pictures.

[starbuck]

Hey Hanoian,

Today is also my 2 weeks on accutane. It's great to hear you're progress is coming along nicely. For me, my breakout is still the same as before accutane (ok, maybe slightly less breakout now), but I'm experiencing irritation along with dry and flaky skin. I'm on 40 mgs a day and I know dryness and flakiness are expected, but my skin stings and sometimes itches as well. I will get this sort out with my derm when I see him in couple of weeks. Anyways, good luck with accutane!

[Hanoian]

Hey Hanoian,

Today is also my 2 weeks on accutane. It's great to hear you're progress is coming along nicely. For me, my breakout is still the same as before accutane (ok, maybe slightly less breakout now), but I'm experiencing irritation along with dry and flaky skin. I'm on 40 mgs a day and I know dryness and flakiness are expected, but my skin stings and sometimes itches as well. I will get this sort out with my derm when I see him in couple of weeks. Anyways, good luck with accutane!

Thanks for stopping by my journal:) What are you using for moisturizer? I wonder if that has anything to do with it, although I am sure my skin will start to get irritated very soon as well; I think it's normal and pretty much unavoidable. The itchiness is just from being dry. For the stinging your derm might recommend a special cream. Good luck and hope to hear from you again, so we can compare notes:)

[MQT_Steel]

Hey

Its great to hear your progress is going great. I guess im still in the initial breakout. Hopefully you wont have one, and will continue to clear. Like you were saying, it really is a great feeling to be able to do other things, not having to worry about your skin. Good luck with the rest of your treatment!

[Hanoian]

3 Weeks Down!

So, here's the update:

Skin still continuing to improve...a couple of new "isolated" pimples here and there, but they somehow don't bother me; maybe it's because of the general improvement that is taking place. People (friends and family) have begun to comment on how much my skin has improved. Like I said in my last post, I'm living my life again, not really worrying about my skin beyond putting makeup on in the morning. I don't check to see how I look in the mirror every couple of hours and I don't have to blot oil off my face or reapply concealer. When I come home, my makeup looks exactly the same as it did when I left the house 8 hours earlier. Not a drop oil, yet it's not overly dry or flakey either. I don't know how to explain it; I guess this is what normal people's skin feels like all the time. I never knew how oily my skin was until it STOPPED being so oily!

And my hair. I have the kind of hair you have to wash everyday. In fact, normally I take a shower in the morning and by the time I get home in the evening it feels limp and in need of a wash. Well, guess what? I haven't washed my hair for 3 days. I don't need to! It sounds horrible but my hair looks, feels and smells EXACTLY the way it does right after I washed it; it just isn't dirty. (Tip: a shower cap helps) I love this but I've only completed 3 weeks, so I am worried that my hair will get super dry in the next few months. I wish it would just stay like this forever, my skin and my hair. Well, I am going to sleep with conditioner in my hair tonight which will moisturize it and give me an excuse to wash it in the morning! It feels so weird not washing my hair. All I know is that it's going to be a sad day when the oil starts to return to my face and hair after I stop Accutane; I'm really starting to get used to this!

No other side effects. No dry eyes (out of the ordinary), no headaches, no nosebleeds, or anything else. Lips are dry of course but nothing a drop of lotion and a good coating of Aquaphor can't fix. Just crossing my fingers that I continue to clear and that the side effects remain mild and harmless.

I go in tomorrow for my bloodwork and hopefully they will up me to 60mg for my second month. Will post pictures at the end of week 4:)

MQT_Steel: THANKS:) I hope it all goes well for you too--I'll keep checking your log for progress.

[punkrockprincess]

EDIT: oh wow, i didnt even notice that the last time you updated was in May.. ! i wrote the following thinking you'd just updated recently, again ! stupid me! anyways, most of my post still applies, disregard the parts that dont! and since you're now a few months into accutane, update us w/ your progress!

Hanoian,
i just skimmed through your journal, and you are a very positive and articulate person! it actually motivated me to post some words of encouragement to help you keep it up!

first of all, after seeing your pix, im somewhat reminded of my face before i took accutane! especially your cheeks.. i didnt have spots on my forehead at all, but i had the same sort of "cheek acne" that you do, and none on my jawline (you dont seem to have any there either). also, i had the same dark-red, very inflamed looking buggers that hurt like hell!

so ill start by saying.. it gets better!!! accutane is a long ride, i was on it for 6 months at 40mg the entire time, but it worked. for me personally, i kept breaking out for the first 2 months.. nothing more or less severe than before i had started. however, coming into my 3rd month, the breakouts really ceased, and it was uphill from there. from what i understand, this is typical of many accutane users.

from reading your latest post, it seems that youre already experiencing accutanes benefits. you can expect to have the dry skin and dry hair for the duration of your treatment! i know you're worried about increased dryness, and while you may experience this if/when your dosage is upped, i was told that side-effects at a certain dosage are sort of maxed out after your first 1-2months, and this ended up holding true for me. i reached my full dryness after about a month or so, and things plateaued there.

anyways, im sort of rambling on! theres just so much to say about it! overall, GOOD LUCK! with your course of tane, keep your head up and stay positive! you're doing really well even now, a few weeks in, so imagine what it will be like in a month or two! time really does fly on accutane, and i really believe that it works. obviously everybody is different, but my skin, apart from redmarks from my bad breakouts last year, is looking great almost 4 months off accutane, and my breakouts have ceased aside from an odd tiny pinprick of a blemish here and there.

once again, good luck, keep us posted! your detailed entries and pics are great to document your progress (i wish id taken pics myself!) and im sure that as you progress, this journal will provide other accutane-users with a great source of information and hope!

sorry for such a long post!

best wishes!

Lisa

[Hanoian]

One year later....
It's been about a year since I stopped Accutane, so I thought I'd give a little update! First of all...what you all want to hear: my skin is still crystal clear. I still get one or two pimples before my period, but otherwise I am clear. My hair is back to needing to be washed everyday, but my face isn't very oily.

The bottom line is that Accutane changed my life. A little over a year ago I was depressed and felt very ugly. Today, I feel good about the way I look! I regularly receive compliments about my skin--that it "glows."

I still have fears that the acne will return eventually, but I rarely think about it. Plus, if it does return, I would 100% be willing to try Accutane again.

I have VERY light scarring on my forehead and cheeks, so I am considering some scar treatments; I'll let you know how it goes:)

I whole-heartedly recommend Accutane. Yes, it can be dangerous, but I think with proper care and supervision it can be a positive, life-changing experience.

[LionQueen]

Great update! The Accutane logs are in their own subforum now, so I'll move yours in there.

[Hanoian]

Okay! My worst fear when I started my first course of Accutane 2 years ago was that I'd be back on this forum 2 years later. And here I am!

After my 5-month course (April-August 2005), I stayed clear for over a year. Beginning in about October of 2006, 5 or 6 months ago, my acne started to return. At first, I was just getting a few lesions near my hairline, but then more and more began appearing on my forehead (my worst spot), cheeks, and chin.

My acne has yet to return to pre-Accutane levels (no scarring cysts), but I'm breaking out severely enough that BP is not helping, my self-image is plummeting, and I'm once again worried about scarring.

A few weeks ago, I started the process of getting a prescription for a second course. Thankfully, my derm immediately thought it would be a good idea, and after jumping through the requisite hoops, I am now back on Accutane! Sotret, to be specific.

My first course was 100% worth it. I suffered very few side effects and was rewarded with beautiful skin for over a year. I fear that the results of my second course will be just as fleeting, but even one more year of respite will have made it worth the while.

A nice surprise: My new insurance pays for most of the drug! My portion is just $10/month.

At this point, I doubt I will update this log every day or week; I plan to update with any major changes.

Day 1 (Sotret)
Dose: 60 mg
Skin: 11 lesions (not cysts, but pretty inflamed), many red marks, some scarring.

My skin, by the way, never returned to being as oily as it was pre-Accutane. That was one of the major differences last time, and I remember being impressed from the onset at how well my make up was staying put. Well, it still stays put!

[Freedom2008]

heya, goodluck on the Tane

2nd course is good... its only 80% that people will be clear after the 1st.. some have to go through a 2nd... or 3rd... ummm maybe 5th... hahah which is me... oh well, what can we do when we want clear skin so bad!!!

im exactly like u after my 1st course... cleared for like 3 years i think... after that.. i had a course every year!! which is crazy!!

so yeh... we're on the same boat now so hope u all the best!!!

[Hanoian]

Thank you Freedom!

Day 3:

No real changes yet; my skin and lips feel dry, but that's probably from being sick.

Thoughts:

Accutane is an amazing drug, and I am so thankful that I went on it 2 years ago. My acne is nowhere near as severe as it was, but I get pimples all over my face still, and they leave ugly red marks, which means I'm always wearing thick makeup to hide the damage. It's frustrating to think that just a few months ago I was CLEAR.

In my case, I don't think Accutane will ever permanently "cure" me; I have a family history of acne, so once my oil glands eventually "recover" a bit, my acne will return. However, the good news is that my oils levels, even 1.5 years after my last treatment, never fully recovered, so I'm hoping that this second course will "damage" them further. At the very least, my skin will be more responsive to antibiotics and topicals if the acne returns.

I need to have bloodwork done again on April 13th.